Workshop on new technologies in sugarcane crop forecasting : SRDC Final report WS004

Abstract

Work over the last 3 years in the Herbert Resource Information Centre has demonstrated that it is possible to use remotely sensed satellite imagery to produce a reasonably accurate crop forecast provided there is limited ground truthing to validate spectral signatures. In both the 1999 and 2000 harvest seasons, the estimates derived from the Landsat TM images were closer to the actual yield for the Herbert than the crop estimates derived from conventional methods. SRDC agreed to fund a project in the Herbert involving the HRIC and the University of Queensland to develop the technology further (project UQ037 Development of an a11- weather sugarcane crop yield model using satellite image data). The project was led by Mr Mark Noonan who was employed by the HRlC and was doing this work as part of a Masters degree at UQ. CRC Sugar also agreed to provide funding to assist Mr Noonan with his Masters project. Mr Noonan left the HRIC in November 2000 and arrangements have been made to complete the project through the university. The project is due for completion in June 2001. In the last year there has been a large amount of interest in this methodology from other mill areas such as Mossman, Mulgrave and Mackay and all sugar mills are searching for ways of producing accurate crop estimates without having to simd out large numbers of people to inspect every block of cane on every farm. QSL have also' expressed interest in this technology given the importance of accurate and timely estimates of sugar production for their operation. Initially the HRlC agreed to assist some of the mills in using the model, but with the departure ofMr Noonan this is no longer possible. Some mills (and QSL) are now approaching a variety of commercial companies to see whether they are able to perfect this methodology and customize it for their specific requirements. With the HRlC being placed under increasing pressure from different users to provide advice and expertise, and with the HRlC Board having decided that they should not get involved in research and development, CRC Sugar was requested to coordinate an industry workshop which focused on new technologies in sugarcane crop forecastin